


can you love me (again)

by vlieger



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2013-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-21 16:47:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/902591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlieger/pseuds/vlieger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>where are you?</i> he sends.</p><p><i>toronto</i>, says Segs, and then <i>???</i></p><p><i>hold tight i'm comin</i>, sends Tyler, and goes to get his suitcase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	can you love me (again)

It's been nearly two months since Segs' last perfunctory text-- just before the playoffs started. It's heading towards mid-July when Tyler gets another-- just _hi_ , which is the kind of pointless message Segs hasn't sent him in ages, and the kind Tyler likes most. It's followed pretty quickly by _been kinda messed up,_ and then, _i miss you_ , which makes Tyler's chest clench up so hard he can't breathe for a minute. When he goes to respond-- even though he has no idea what he's supposed to say-- Segs has sent _sorry_ as well.

Tyler makes up his mind pretty quickly then.

 _where are you?_ he sends.

 _toronto_ , says Segs, and then _???_

 _hold tight i'm comin_ , sends Tyler, and goes to get his suitcase.

 

The thing is, he muses on the plane, Tyler isn't exactly sure what happened between them, why things went bad and they drifted apart, but it doesn't matter.

Segs is _Segs_ , he's Tyler's bro, his best buddy, and no matter what the reason, whether it was Tyler getting too intense with him because of his own dumb feelings or whether it was just Segs being young and immature and flaky, Tyler's in this for good. It's why he never got too mad at Segs, even though it stung, not being around him or hearing from him so often. He just knows that Segs is always gonna come back to him eventually, and Tyler's always gonna be waiting, even though that probably makes him super pathetic.

They're both kind of pathetic though, in their own ways, and Tyler's just glad it's over this time, glad Segs messaged him and glad to be on his way.

 

Segs looks surprised when he answers his door in Toronto, even though he knew Tyler was coming. Tyler doesn't have time to deal with it before he's accosted by Marshall, leaping at him front paws-first and drowning out anything Tyler might say with his barking. 

"Whoa, hey, buddy," he says, wrenching his eyes away from Segs' face and dropping to a crouch to pet Marshall, grinning. "Shit, how you been? I fucking missed you."

He buries both hands in the fur at Marshall's neck, aware he's saying it to both of them and kinda glad Marshall's here to play proxy or whatever, so Tyler doesn't look too dumb.

Marshall licks his face and Tyler chuckles, scratching his ears and adding, "You still like me, huh? Good, 'cause I still like you too. Can't go this long without hanging out again, 'kay?"

He catches Segs making an aborted, jerky movement in the corner of his eye, and then he says, "Brownie," really, really quietly, hands opening and closing around the empty air at his sides.

Tyler pushes Marshall away abruptly and stands; he can't say anything, but he's said all that matters to Marshall just now anyway. He's pretty sure Segs knows who he was talking to, if the tone of his voice is anything to go by. So he just steps around Marshall and wraps Segs in a hug, crushing him close and burying his face in Segs' hair. 

Segs clings on tight; tighter than Tyler's crushing him, which is saying something, and they stand there quietly for a long time. Tyler can feel Segs' rapid heartbeat slowing against his chest, the heavy expand and contract of his breathing.

"You good?" he says when they finally pull apart, curling his hands over Segs' elbows.

Segs nods. "Better now," he says, giving Tyler a slightly wan smile, and it's not like he was expecting Segs to be entirely happy right now, but still, it's-- Tyler just...breaks a little, maybe, and jerks forward without really knowing what he's doing, until he's kissing Segs.

It's a surprise to both of them, and Segs huffs out a startled breath against his mouth but doesn't push Tyler away, and Tyler finds he can't step back either, so he does the only thing he can, which is coax Segs' mouth open, bite down on his bottom lip a little, and lick inside.

When he does manage to pull back Segs' eyes are huge, fixed on him, and his hands are flexing unconsciously on Tyler's hips. "Oh," he says, licking his lips and flicking his eyes to Tyler's mouth, and then, "Fuck, God, _please,_ " and Tyler groans, pressing in close again, kissing away the slightly broken, hurt tone in his voice, the almost pained look on his face.

It goes a little hazy after that. They only just make it to the bedroom and onto the bed, and Tyler cages Segs beneath him, leaning down to press their foreheads together and dip in for kisses while he jerks them both in one hand, bracing himself with his free arm, elbow digging into the mattress by Segs' head and his fingers curved possessively over the top of Segs' skull.

Segs is gorgeous when he comes, mouth shocked open and soft, arching his neck into the hollow of Tyler's palm and streaking himself up messily, getting Tyler's hand slick with jizz so he can jerk himself a few more times and come as well, dirtying Segs up even more.

"Fuck," he groans, collapsing next to Segs, shoving his arm into a comfortable position for Tyler to half lean on because he doesn't want to move too far away.

Whatever, contact is nice after sex.

He breathes out, long and slow, and reaches out to rub slow circles on Segs' belly, messing up the jizz there even further and staring in kind of absent fascination.

Segs' eyes are still closed, but he flutters them open, after a moment, and rolls his head to look at Tyler. "Hey," he says, slow and heavy. "Wow."

"Yeah," agrees Tyler. 

There's a douchey smirk starting to threaten the corners of Segs' mouth, like he can't even help it, like that's just what it does every time, and it's that, more than anything else, that makes Tyler feel suddenly a little bit sick. It's just-- he doesn't know how Segs is going to react. Yeah, they're best friends, which means it's not just another random fuck, but Segs is still just as likely to be all _oh hey, that was fun, you're cool if we don't do this again though right?_ and expect them to go back to being regular bros who don't hook up, even though one of them has a giant obvious crush on the other; is quite possibly (and quite possibly has been for a long time) a little bit in love with the other. Not that Segs knows they're anything other than regular bros.

Or well, were until just now, with the fucking and everything. Still, Tyler just-- he _wants_ , and maybe Segs doesn't, not like this.

Fuck, feelings are so fucking dumb.

Segs just sort of stares at him for ages though, the smirk flickering but not blossoming, chewing on his lip, half douchey nonchalance and half nervous, and Tyler waits until he can't anymore, until he snaps and says, " _What?_ " really snippily.

"Look," says Segs eventually, a little bit heavily, "Dude, if that was like, your way of trying to cheer me up or something, I appreciate it, and it was awesome, but I'm okay, you know? You didn't have to. I'm not pathetic enough yet to need a pity fuck or whatever."

" _What?_ " says Tyler again, only incredulously this time, and then, "Oh my fucking God," and bursts out laughing, like, shit, he can't stop, which is slightly awkward, but Jesus, it's either that or get super upset, and just-- this whole situation is _so ridiculous._

When he finally manages to calm down, Segs is starting to look pretty pissy, which just makes Tyler grin wider, and he says, "Jesus, you're so fucking dumb, Segs." 

Segs says, "I know, asshole, no need to rub it in." 

Tyler punches him sharply and says, "That's not what I meant, stop being so pathetic." He pauses to think for a minute, and then adds, "I just-- seriously? You think I'd do that to you? I may be bad at a lot of things, but I'm not that shitty, bro. You don't need anymore one-off fucks or assholes using you like that. I wouldn't've done-- I just wouldn't, if I didn't mean it. So like, turn me down or whatever, it's up to you, we can still be bros, but I mean it. For what it's worth."

"Oh," says Segs, blinking. And then, "I, uh-- thanks?"

"That's it?" says Tyler, raising an eyebrow. " _Thanks?_ I just told you I _wasn't_ being an asshole." 

"No," says Segs quietly. "I-- I mean it too. I mean-- come on, man. It's _you_. I wouldn't-- I wouldn't fuck that up. With you. Just because I-- because I'm messed up right now or whatever."

Tyler grins slowly, nudging in towards Segs' mouth, and breathes, "Yeah?"

Segs nods, and doesn't get a chance to say anything else before Tyler kisses him, slow and deep and wet, holding him in place with a hand over the side of his neck. 

When they slow down enough to break apart, breathing damp and heavy, Segs says, kind of mumbled and with his eyes still closed, "Hey, look, I-- I'm sorry about-- "

"Shut up," says Tyler. "You already said sorry, bro, we're good. Don't need to hear you whining about it for the next forever."

"Fuck you," says Segs, huffing a laugh. After a moment he adds, "Okay, but I just--I fucked that up so bad. I shoulda come to you straight away, so. You know. Whatever."

"Well, duh," says Tyler.

Segs elbows him, then says, "I'm pretty dumb sometimes."

"Is that supposed to be news?" says Tyler, rolling onto his back and grinning at the ceiling.

"Jesus, shut up, you douche," says Segs without any heat.

"Hey, never said I didn't like it," says Tyler. "I mean, I probably could've done without your latest shitstorm, but I also could've come seen you earlier, so. I guess I'm dumb too, sometimes."

"You mean all the time," says Segs.

"Whatever, bro," says Tyler easily, too honeyed-down and content to argue even for fun, and just draws Segs closer against his side instead, closing his eyes.

"You gonna sleep?" mumbles Segs, shifting to slot against him more easily.

"Mmm," says Tyler. "Yeah. Long haul up to see your ass. Tired."

"It's not long, you pussy," says Segs. "But yeah, okay. Sleep."

 

When he wakes up it's midnight, and Segs is sucking on his neck.

"Mmm, fuck," he slurs, bringing a hand up to cup the back of Segs' skull.

Segs bites down a little, scraping with his teeth, and then draws back to grin at him. "Morning, sunshine," he says.

"It's fuckin' midnight," says Tyler, tracing the smile-lines around Segs' eyes with his thumb. It's nice to see Segs smiling like that again. Especially at him.

"Whatever," says Segs.

"Right," says Tyler, stretching and yawning. "Breakfast?"

Segs blinks at him. "It's midnight," he says.

Tyler snorts, sliding his hand down to shove Segs' shoulder. "Stop being a dumbass and go get me food, loser," he says.

"Hmm," says Segs, leaning back and raking his eyes over Tyler's stretched-out, naked body. "Fine, but only 'cause it'd be a shame for you to put clothes on that rig. Fuck, you're packing some serious heat, man."

Tyler lifts one shoulder, grinning. "Had to do something while you weren't around to keep me fat and lazy," he says.

Segs bites down on his lip, looking guilty, and Tyler stretches out to kick him. "Stop it," he says.

"Sorry," says Segs, blinking. Then he grins, leaning back in to steal a quick, messy kiss, and adds, "Don't get me wrong, I like this a lot, but if hanging around me means you gotta get fat, I'm-- I'd be okay with that. I'd love you even if you weighed three hundred pounds, wifey."

"You're so fucking lame," says Tyler, but he grins back, hiding it in another kiss.

"Yeah, you love it, bro," says Segs, standing up with a groan. "Okay, food."

 

He comes back with a box of Cheerios, throwing it at Tyler's head and climbing back into bed.

"Are you fucking serious?" says Tyler, holding up the box.

Segs shrugs, flicking on the TV and stretching out on the pillows. "You said breakfast," he says.

"I meant like, eggs or pancakes or something, dumbass," says Tyler. "What am I supposed to do with this? You didn't even bring milk."

"Is this how it's gonna be now?" says Segs, looking at him with exaggerated sad eyes. "You use me for sex and then criticise my cooking? That went downhill fast."

"This doesn't count as cooking," says Tyler, shoving a handful of Cheerios into his mouth.

"Oh my God, quit bitching, I ordered pizza too," says Segs, rolling his eyes.

"Huh," says Tyler after a moment, tilting his head. "Sausage and extra cheese?"

" _Yes_ , asshole, you're fucking welcome," says Segs, socking him with a pillow.

Tyler leans in to grin against his cheek. "I take it all back, babe, you're the best," he whispers, biting down on Segs' earlobe.

Segs does a pretty shitty job of looking nonchalant, and says, "Yeah, I guess you're okay too."

 

He falls asleep again pretty soon after the pizza is delivered and demolished, greasy and full, with boxes around his feet and the cereal carton resting against his chest. Segs is a warm, slightly sticky weight against his side too, and it feels gross and familiar in a really awesome way.

When he wakes up it's still dark, and Segs is still asleep next to him, sprawled out on his front with one arm flung out across Tyler's chest. He's knocked the Cheerios aside, and there's an itchy, crunchy pile of them spilled onto the mattress, inching under his side. 

They definitely need to change the sheets sooner rather than later. 

He stretches, yawning and pausing to take in Segs' dumb, sleep-slack face, turned to the side and mashed into the pillow, mouth open and breathing shallowly, and then gets up in search of a glass of water. He pauses in the living room in front of Segs' awesome huge windows, taking in the city stretching out below the apartment. It's pretty fucking nice, the lit-up buildings and streets mapped out by lamps; he's missed it a lot, if he's being totally honest.

Maybe missed seeing it from this apartment in particular.

He must've been standing there longer than he realised, because he hears a shuffling noise behind him, and then Segs is pressing up close, his chest bare and sleep-warm against Tyler's back. "Whatcha doing?" he mumbles through a yawn, pressing a warm, wet kiss to the side of Tyler's neck. 

"Nothing," says Tyler. "Just nice to be back here, eh?"

"Mmm," says Segs. "Yeah. Thanks for coming."

"Shut up," says Tyler easily. He tilts his head thoughtfully, then lifts Segs' arms from around his waist and reverses their positions, pressing forward until Segs is right up against the glass. 

"What-- oh," says Segs, groaning a little when Tyler grinds his hard cock into the cleft of his boxer-brief clad ass and he catches on. "Fuck, yeah."

"Yeah?" murmurs Tyler, curling his hands around Segs' wrists and lifting them so his palms are pressed flat to the glass above his head, pressing down briefly over his hands and adding, "Keep them there, babe," kissing the soft skin just below his ear.

Segs shivers a little and nods, and Tyler lets go so he can drag his nails down Segs' chest.

He teases him a little, tickling the skin above the waistband of his underwear and tugging his nipples, digging his fingers into the sweet curve of muscle over his hipbones, because he's curious about the noises he can get out of Segs. He doesn't disappoint, gasping and making these broken, pleading little sounds that catch in his throat as he arches into Tyler's hands, which just makes Tyler take more time and forget about getting Segs off fast.

Except well, his own hard-on is starting to get sort of painful and insistent, and he figures they're not gonna do much else other than fuck and eat and work out while he's here-- which is _totally_ fine by him-- so he gets a hand inside Segs' underwear pretty quick, wrapping it around his dick and jerking once, slow and firm, from base to tip. It gets a totally different noise out of Segs, this rough, low groan that vibrates all the way through him and into Tyler.

"Fuck," he breathes, fingers curling against the glass. "Fuck, Brownie, _yeah_."

"Yeah," agrees Tyler, rolling his hips and letting Segs' dick push through his fist with the movement. 

He keeps it up, jerking Segs off inside his underwear and grinding his dick into the delicious curve of Segs' ass. Segs gets louder as he loses control by increments, wet gasps and groans and hitches that really fucking do it for Tyler. It's hot and achingly good, but also still sleepy and warm; all gorgeous, consuming friction. He feels like a horny teenager minus all the shitty awkwardness; just the awesome feeling of getting to grind on a hot, hard body until he comes.

Segs pants and moans, breath frosting up the glass, and Tyler mouths at the nape of his neck, the peak of his shoulder blade, and whispers, "You like this, babe? Like that people might be watching?"

"Ugh, fuck-- no," groans Segs. "No, I-- fuck. No."

Tyler scrapes his teeth along the edge of Segs' damp hairline and says, "What then? You like that people might be watching you with me?" squeezing his cock as he says it, and Segs hisses " _Yes,_ " immediately, like it's wrenched out of him, unexpected and honest.

"Huh," says Tyler, biting a grin into Segs' neck. That's kinda hot. And kinda sweet, too, like-- like Segs doesn't want anymore of himself out there, but he doesn't mind so much if Tyler's there with him.

"Yeah," he adds, jerking Segs faster in reward. "You're mine, right? Always come back to me. Love it, Segs, love-- fuck-- " He stops, gritting his teeth and rolling his hips into Segs' ass. "I got you," he breathes when he can talk again. "Got your back, gonna take care of you-- "

Segs groans brokenly and comes, shaking and spilling into Tyler's hand.

"Fuck yeah," moans Tyler wetly, tightening his arms around Segs when he goes boneless and liquid, pulling him back closer so he can get a bit more friction, grind harder.

He jerks his orgasm erratically into the cleft of Segs' ass, the wet tip of his cock catching on the fabric of Segs' briefs and sending sparks shooting up his spine, messing himself up and pressing it all against Segs, drawing him down onto the floor to tangle up their sweaty limbs when he can't stand anymore. Segs is beautiful like this too, bathed in the weird, white light from the window, damp and pink and breathing hard. There's a big wet spot on his briefs, and Tyler reaches out when he feels recovered enough to press his hand against it, making Segs hiss and jerk. 

"Easy," murmurs Tyler, tracing lightly over the shape of his softening dick, dragging the wet fabric along the soft skin underneath.

"Then fuckin' stop that, Jesus," gasps Segs, trying for annoyed but mostly failing.

"Nah, don't think I will," says Tyler easily, moving his hand down to cup Segs' balls, roll them a little.

"Mmm-- _fuck_ \-- hate you," groans Segs, twisting his neck.

"Don't think you do though," says Tyler, biting back a grin.

"Yeah, well, you're still a fucking asshole," says Segs, glaring at him.

His eyes are blown and glassy though, so that doesn't really work either. 

"That's true," agrees Tyler, finally letting up so he can slide his hand along Segs' chest and around his neck, drawing him into a sloppy, messy kiss. 

"Mmm," says Segs when he pulls away, rolling lazily to his feet. "Stop being a dick and come back to bed," he says as he starts heading towards the bedroom. "I might blow you later."

"Fuck yeah, okay, coming," says Tyler, struggling to his feet and wincing at the stickiness coating his skin. He pauses for a moment, grabbing his phone off the coffee table and snapping a quick picture of the city still lit up in the dark outside the window. He's aware he's smiling kind of dopily, but no one can see him so he doesn't try to hide it.

 

Tyler's kind of beat for breakfast, considering the flight up here and all the fucking slash late-night interludes. He doesn't really mind, but it does mean he ends up slumped over the kitchen counter, struggling to eat a bowl of cereal without spilling shit everywhere.

Plus it means he's vulnerable to Segs, who seems to have decided it'll be fun to start pelting him with torn-off pieces of toast.

"Quit it, asshole," says Tyler pissily, glowering at him.

Segs just grins brightly and throws another corner of toast.

"You know," says Tyler, rolling his eyes, "There are other ways to get my attention. Better ways. Ways that involve your dick."

Segs smirks, but he also _keeps_ throwing his crusts, and Tyler stands up properly to shout, "Oh my God, I will beat you down, _what?_ "

Segs grins again and says, "Hey, wanna go out with me?"

Tyler blinks. "What, you mean like to a club or something?" He shrugs. "Sure, I guess, long as you don't do anything dumb."

"Okay, _Mom_ , that's not what I meant," says Segs, rolling his eyes. "I mean like-- a date. You wanna go on a date with me?"

Tyler blinks again, and then just stares at him for ages, that weird feeling in his chest again, like it's clenched up without his permission and he can't fucking _breathe_ , which is just fucking dumb because all Segs is doing is asking him to go see a movie or something, nothing they haven't done before, _unlike_ all the fucking they've been doing the past twenty-four hours or so. But well, maybe it's not that, either, maybe it's-- and then he realises he's been silent too long, because Segs is starting to get fidgety and look like he regrets saying anything, so he says, "No, I-- I mean, yeah, we should, let's do that." 

Segs looks up, surprised and smiling sort of hesitantly, and says, "Yeah?" 

Tyler rolls his eyes, partly at Segs and partly at himself, because Jesus, they're both so pathetic, and says, "Yeah," firmly. 

He grins, walking over to slot himself between Segs' spread-open thighs, and adds, "You wanna lock this shit down, huh? Makes sense." 

Segs laughs and makes a face and says, "Yeah, well, you got kinda built when I wasn't looking, bro. Gotta make sure you're all tied up so you don't be hitting all the girls throwing themselves at you. Or dudes," he adds, tilting his head with a smirk. 

Tyler ghosts his mouth over Segs' and whispers, "Yeah? Well, I wanna lock you down, period. Dallas ain't got nothing on us." 

Segs just blinks at him for a moment, then jerks forward to kiss him rough and messy, lots of tongue and teeth and no finesse, and when he pulls back he says, a little hoarse, "Yeah, I-- me too."


End file.
